Biden-Kishida Call: "Strongest Condemnation of North Korea's Missile..."

Close Coordination Among Korea, US, and Japan
Discussion on North Korea's Detention of Japanese Nationals

U.S. President Joe Biden (Photo by AP)

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and strongly condemned North Korea's launch of a medium-range ballistic missile, reinforcing the commitment to Japan's defense.

According to the White House and AP News on the 4th (local time), the White House stated, "The two leaders strongly condemned North Korea's missile test in the strongest terms," adding, "(This launch) poses a danger to the Japanese people, destabilizes the region, and is a clear violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions."

The White House explained, "The two leaders confirmed that they will coordinate closely and continuously on immediate and long-term responses bilaterally, trilaterally with South Korea, and with the international community."

It further stated, "The two leaders discussed the importance of the immediate return of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea and resolving the issue, and resolved to continue all efforts to limit North Korea's ability to sustain its illegal ballistic missile and weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs."

The White House added that this call was made to reinforce the ironclad commitment to Japan's defense.

In a press release, the White House described the missile launched by North Korea the previous day as a long-range ballistic missile, which refers to an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Earlier, Japan's Defense Minister also left open the possibility that the missile launched by North Korea was an ICBM with a range exceeding 5,500 km.

This call between the U.S. and Japanese leaders took place the day after North Korea test-fired a ballistic missile over Japanese airspace on the evening of June 3rd, U.S. Eastern Time.

The ballistic missile launched by North Korea flew approximately 4,600 km with a maximum altitude of 1,000 km, making it the longest flight distance ever estimated. It is the first time in five years since September 2017 that a North Korean missile has passed over the Japanese archipelago.

The fact that the two leaders spoke the day after North Korea's ballistic missile launch indicates a shared recognition that this launch represents a serious and imminent threat.

North Korea has launched missiles 40 times this year, but AP News reported that this test was the most provocative.

According to the White House, the two leaders also discussed the issue of Japanese nationals detained in North Korea.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin also reaffirmed the U.S. defense commitment to Japan and discussed responses to North Korea's missile launches during a call with Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada on the same day.

The two ministers supported further discussions on U.S.-Japan bilateral and U.S.-South Korea-Japan trilateral security cooperation to respond to the North Korean threat and agreed to continue efforts toward denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the U.S. Department of Defense explained.

Meanwhile, Jake Sullivan, U.S. National Security Advisor, Takeo Akiba, Director of Japan's National Security Secretariat, and Kim Sung-han, South Korea's National Security Office Chief, confirmed a firm response principle regarding North Korea's medium-range ballistic missile launch during a phone call.

White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment on the response measures currently under review but emphasized that the U.S. is ready to engage in dialogue with North Korea.